What is Netnography? The effects it places on the Web and Social Media Industry?

Netnography consists of various online disciplines; comprising mythologies such as content analysis, “text mining” of anonymous knowledge which is yet to be explored, creating a story through “word of mouth”, ethnography and observational research. The use of Netnography is “consumer centric”, allowing any niche or global business to continually enhance their consumer and marketplace knowledge. Netnography enables the social media industry to gain an insight, on how consumer co-creation, influences product development online. Research and design specialist constantly gain product knowledge from Netnography, in order to identify solutions for the “innovative” process of product development. This is usually a systematic study of conversations held online by “creative consumer communities”. As Kozinets states:

“Netnography is a new qualitative method devised specifically to investigate the consumer behavior of cultures and communities present on the Internet”.

Netnographic research uses natural observational techniques to gain an unbiased point of view. Thus utilizes an ordinary conversational style on various platforms including blogs, forums and social networking sites. It can be used to understand the characteristics and values of the online community. Expressive consumer developed networks, as well as links allow Netnographic analysts to gain an insight on “new-product buzz”; opportunities along with threats in their business market. The use of “Storytelling” through word of mouth has shown to create a great level of shock and bewilderment for a brand, consequently increasing brand loyalty in order for the business to grow. Social media platforms such as Facebook permit consumers to express self-emotions regarding advertisements and products via links; this significantly develops “search engine marketing”, through the use of rapid interweaving and sharing of information in web 2.0. A business uses “word of mouth” to progress a narrative wherein the message portrayed is analysed, so the meaning is able to form a relationship with the public. A good example is the Marks and Spencer’s advert: consisting of The X Factor contestants engrossed with the Christmas Theme, allowing the business to coincide with their chosen community. This generates a discussion between the advert and business, further establishing the brand.

Netnography provides rejuvenating perceptions by examining necessities and solutions. The necessities of consumer demands being motivation and needs to keep them engaged, displaying a problem with a great desire to resolve the situation. The solution is a valuable method from the business point of view, creating a sense of surprise. Netnography is a flexible research strategy, proposing an advocate observation on fresh and inspirational new ideas, owing to vast volumes of users. It is not restricted to a particular corporation, hence it analyses both business-to-consumer and Business-to-Business firms. Crowd sourcing explicitly presents insights into community web based interactivity, online research, thus provides numerical and linguistic tools to interact and pursue unconscious supremacy over the consumers. Therefore observes individuals in their natural environment using social media websites, such as Hi5 which comprise of public profiles. This provides a sense of trust furthermore authenticity, as Netnographic researchers are able to obtain acuities, aims, and anticipations of their certain consumer crowds, enabling engagement with a selected community. It presents the world through the viewpoint of the consumer, displaying ideas and interpretations of a certain field. Learning the “who, what, why, where how, when,” in order to develop a consumer relationship by listening and understanding to what influences your consumers innovation.

Netnography facilitates the web and social media industry by providing numerous ways to analyse their consumer behaviour. “Search engine marketing” (SEM) offers online marketing in order to strategize and improve website stimulation by refining their appearance in “search engine result pages” .This information is made available on websites, through the interconnecting links formed on search enquiry platforms. SEM involves a method known as “search engine optimization”, a positive search result allows websites to gain superior association for small word searches and expressions .This is identified as “paid search”, the “advertiser bids for the chance to have their ad display when a user searches for a given keyword”, as the business is able to generate work flow by the “Pay Per Click” model.

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